Educate Homeless Youth Action Network: Staff Biographies
EHYAN is comprised of renown figures throughout the United States.  Each of us are dedicated to delivering answers concerning the issue of educating homeless youth. We believe that through research and strategy, we can solve any issue plaguing our youth.

Legal Counsel: Shannon Troutman
 has ten years of experience as a civil rights advocate for the Educate Homeless Youth Action Network. She was appointed to work for the House Judiciary Committee with the most recent Republican chair, Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) 2001-2007. Shannon also has co-authored legal studies on homeless rights for a private firm whose mission is to work to end the unnecessary suffering caused by poverty and advocates for justice for people who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless. She received her J.D at Yale University.

Direct Lobbyist: Vania Kinard
 She has worked for the Educate Homeless Youth Action Network for two years. She recently worked on the Obama campaign as Regional Finance Director. She served as the Democratic National Committee Finance Chair for three years after working for the Senate Committee on Finance. Over the past ten years, she has been heavily involved with the National Coalition to End Homelessness. She helped support the organization by donating $200,000 over five years to their efforts to create transitional homes for the homeless. She received her MBA from MIT and Ph.D. from Stanford University.

Press Secretary: Alexander Scott
He has been served the Educate Homeless Youth Action Network for three years, after working as a White House Correspondent for MSNBC News Network from 2004-2008. Prior to his experience at Fox News, Scott served as Assistant Press Secretary for the Bush Administration between 2001- 2003. In 2008, Scott received an Academy Award for the Best Documentary for his widely-acclaimed, Exposing Homelessness highlighting the homeless situation in Washington D.C. He received his Masters of Arts in Journalism from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

Communications Director: Jasmine Hockett
She has worked at Educate Homeless Youth Action Network for 6 years where she advises the staff, manages the messages of the campaign and distributes the correct information to the American people via multiple media outlets.  Hockett has more than 15 years of experience in the Communications field.  She began working in journalism during her college career at the University of Memphis as an Insight News Reporter.  She has worked on all levels of the communications spectrum from radio to newspaper to television to Capitol Hill.  Hockett has 3 degrees in Broadcast Journalism, Public Administration, and Political Science all of which are from the University of Memphis.  

Homeless Research Analyst: Chelsea Person

She has worked at Educate Homeless Youth Action Network for 3 years where she writes, compiles, and distributes research relating to education for children and youth experiencing homelessness. In this capacity, Chelsea compiles and maintains longitudinal information pertaining to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, the first major federal legislative response to the issue of homelessness. Chelsea has 5 years of experience working with homeless issues in the public and nonprofit sectors and was principal writer for Denver's 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness. She has an additional 5 years of experience as a program officer at the Daniels Fund, LMC Community Foundation and El Pomar Foundation. Dana also serves on the Board of Directors for Families and Allies Working Together.


Grassroots Organizer: Candis Davis
Director of Advocacy and Government Relations:  Quadia Muhammad
Director of Advocacy and Government Relations: Quadia Muhammad is the Director of Advocacy and Government Relations for the Educating Homeless Youth Action Network (EHYAN), where she advises and lobbies on issues including education, youth services and appropriations. Prior to assuming this role, she was Director of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee during the 111th Congress. In that role, Ms. Muhammad helped craft legislation for the Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education and Keep Our Educators Working Acts. Prior to joining the HELP Committee, Ms. Muhammad worked for 15 years for the U.S. Department for Health and Human Services as the Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families. In her current role, Ms. Muhammad works closely with Congress and the Administration to institute legislation that will make homeless youth confident, competent and competitive in the global marketplace.